Man cleared over �53m depot raid

The robbery took place at a Securitas depot in Kent in 2006

A man accused of taking part in the £53m raid on a Securitas depot in Kent has been cleared by jurors.

Michael Demetris, 32, of Bromley, south London, was cleared of conspiracy to rob, kidnap and possess firearms.

Jurors have yet to reach a verdict on Paul Allen, 30, of Chatham, Kent, who faces the same charges as Mr Demetris.

The jury was sent home on Monday and will resume deliberations on 5 January. The raid in Tonbridge in February 2006 was Britain's biggest cash robbery.

Five people were jailed earlier this year for their parts in the crime.

Robbers 'disguised'

Depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were kidnapped and members of staff tied up during the raid in February 2006.

Jurors have been told that the robbery was masterminded by Mr Allen's best friend and fellow cage fighter Lee Murray, who is now in Morocco.

The court heard father-of-three Mr Allen was allegedly "at the heart" of the plot, but he said he knew nothing about it.

During the trial, jurors heard claims that Mr Demetris helped produce disguises for the robbery gang.

He told the Old Bailey he thought they were for a video game being produced by Mr Murray.

'Criminal conspiracy'

The court heard that Mr Demetris worked on the hair of men who later turned out to be involved in the robbery and allowed make-up artist Michelle Hogg, who worked in his salon, to work at home creating face masks.

When asked by his counsel Joel Bennathan QC whether he felt he was "not being given the full picture" about the work, he said: "Towards the end, yes."

And when asked if he ever thought it was a "criminal conspiracy", he replied: "Absolutely not."

Jurors heard that Mr Demetris had been a hairdresser all his life, starting at the age of 13 when he helped his mother at the salon where she worked.

He later started his own business called Hair Hectik in Forest Hill in south east London.